Eels coming back to the Lagan – Latest AFBI research

Scientists from the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) released juvenile wild eels into Hillsborough Lake and the wider Lagan catchment recently in an attempt to enhance the numbers of this species in the River Lagan system.

This experimental stocking exercise was carried out using glass eels (young eels) sourced from the River Severn and paid for by the Lough Neagh Fisherman’s Co-operative Society Ltd, owners of the largest wild eel fishery in Europe.

Dr Derek Evans of Fisheries and Aquatic Ecosystems Branch at AFBI said, “The objective of this experiment is to stock the Lagan and its lakes to capacity with eel in a single -year event in 2014. As eel recruitment across Europe has been declining steadily for over 30 years, this project represents an excellent opportunity to track the contribution of this batch of eels to the European spawning stock in a long-term experiment.”
A proportion of the eels which were released were marked so that their performance can be tracked, potentially over the next 20 years, throughout the river system.

While the River Lagan has some artificial barriers to eel migration in the form of weirs, which will require modification to allow free passage upstream, downstream passage is free of any fishing and grown eels can migrate to sea to spawn unimpeded.

This project demonstrates the continuing co-operation between the commercial fishery on Lough Neagh and AFBI in conducting a scientific experiment aimed at increasing Northern Ireland’s contribution to the European eel spawning stock.
The Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure funds a programme of eel research in AFBI.
 

Notes to editors: 

AFBI carries out high quality technology research and development, statutory, analytical, and diagnostic testing functions for DARD and other Government departments, public bodies and commercial companies. 

AFBI's Vision is “Scientific excellence in Northern Ireland …  serving the world”.

All media enquiries to AFBI Press Office 

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